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Abstract

Who are we? Organizational Identity at Three Midwestern Tuition Driven Private Institutions Abstract The overall purpose of this study is to better understand the organizational identity issues that private, tuition driven, liberal arts institutions face as they navigate a strategic planning process. This study answers three research questions. First, how do faculty and administrators, that have recently undergone a strategic planning process, define its organizational identity? TO what might these definitions be attributed? Second, were issues of identity considered during the strategic planning process? If so, how were they addressed? What were the conflicts, themes, or focus of discussion? Third, if issues of identity were presented during the strategic planning process, how did the institution resolve these issues of identity? Three institutions, all private, tuition dependent, and located in the Midwestern region of the country, were studied through individual interviews. These schools have all recently completed a formal strategic planning process, and therefore are believed to have issues of identity fresh on the minds of the faculty and administrators that participated in them. These institutions also face similar pressures to maintain relevancy and financial success in a competitive marketplace. This study found that differences in perspective between full time faculty and administrators, differences rooted in academic legitimacy versus strategic management concepts, influences the view each group has of the organization identity, as well as the way in which issues are addressed. Finally, this study found that leadership, particularly leadership of the institution president, had an impact on the coherence of the organization identity, as well as to what extent the institution has resolved any issues of identity.